CALGARY, (April 19, 2005) — Canadian Pacific Railway will commence a massive track expansion of its western corridor from the Prairie region to the Port of Vancouver.

The $160 million project, expected to be completed by this fall, will increase CPR’s capacity in western Canada by 12 percent and more than 400 freight cars a day, the company says. Work this year involves 25 projects, including: 10 projects between Moose Jaw, Sask., and Calgary to extend sidings and lay sections of double track; three projects between Edmonton and Calgary to extend sidings and build a new siding; and 12 projects between Calgary and the Port of Vancouver to extend sidings and lay sections of double track.

The extended network will help feed CPR’s newly signed contract with Elk Valley Coal Corp., by providing an increase in coal volumes and rates through 2009.

The increased freight capacity will also feed booming Asian markets that are hungry for Canada’s resources, CPR says. It will support the Vancouver Port Authority’s expansion plans and the B.C. government’s port strategy to make the province the preferred gateway to North America for growing volumes of finished goods from China. Western commodities, such as coal from the B.C. Interior and grain, sulphur and fertilizers from the Prairies, are moving to the west coast in growing volumes, according to CPR.

“Increased trade with China and other Asian countries has clearly shown that transportation capacity can be an enabler of economic growth,” said CPR President and CEO Rob Ritchie in a release. “Canadian shippers and ports want to participate in growing global markets. They want us to expand track capacity, and we are encouraged enough to take the initial step.”